Every extraordinary breed has a story. For the Scottish Fold, it all began with one remarkable little barn cat named Susie.

 

In 1961, on a quiet farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire, Scotland, shepherd William Ross discovered Susie, a beautiful white barn cat with something he had never seen before, distinctive ears that folded forward and gently downward, giving her an unmistakably sweet and enchanting expression, creating the unique look that would eventually become the hallmark of the breed.

 

Intrigued and fascinated by this rare, and naturally occurring genetic trait, William Ross, together with geneticist Pat Turner, began a selective breeding program to carefully study, preserve and establish this extraordinary distinctive characteristic.

 

Susie’s daughter, Snooks, inherited her mother’s signature folded ears and became an important foundation cat in the development of the breed. 

Through thoughtful and responsible breeding practices and strategic outcrossing with British Shorthairs and American Shorthairs, the Scottish Fold began to take shape.

This development relied on strict pairing rules, specifically never breeding two Folds together, but instead pairing a Fold only to a Straight to protect the cats' health. A protocol responsible breeders still follow today alongside thorough DNA health Screening. At Bindi Dolls Cattery, we proudly uphold to these established standards and procedures as part of our commitment to responsible and ethical breeding.

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Early Scottish Folds were sometimes referred to as “Lops” or “Lop-ears,” inspired by the lop-eared rabbit, whose ears naturally fold downward.